- a care worker slapped the same patient across the face twice and another kicked her repeatedly;

- a 65-year-old woman was force-fed with her arm pinned to the chair by a carer’s knee;

- staff left the women aged up to 75 in the same chair for up to 11 hours;

- workers ignored them when they cried and appealed for attention.

The disturbing abuse was uncovered by an RTE reporter just two months ago when they visited the Co Mayo home for work experience.

It unveiled a culture of threats, intimidation and control among staff towards their patients and showed how patients were regularly physically restrained and screamed at.

In shocking scenes, 53-year-old Ivy McGinty, who is autistic and can’t speak, is kicked repeatedly and hit across the face twice by one of the workers.

She is hit with keys, pinched, prodded, poked, pushed and kicked in the back of her leg by staff.

Aras Atracta care home in Swinford Mayo

Ms McGinty is slapped on numerous occasions by various members of staff, grabbed by the face by a worker and sat on by the manager of the home.

But in some of the most shocking scenes, the vulnerable woman is dragged on the floor by the hood of her jumper by one worker while others just looked on.

The same carer kicks her away repeatedly when she tries to tell her she needs to use the bathroom.

The worker tells Ivy: “Well, if you died, I wouldn’t bring you to the toilet.”

Deirdre Corby, School of Nursing, DCU, says: “I don’t think any interaction that someone initiates should be received with cruelty of any description whether its hitting someone with keys or telling someone to be quiet or that’s not that’s not not acceptable.

“This is her home It’s where she spends her time she should feel that she can reach out and communicate if she wants to.”

Owen Barr, Head of School of Nursing, University of Ulster said: “The stress for me, when you’ve got a lady with intellectual disabilities clearly trying to communicate, persistently trying to communicate, she’s starting to undress, she’s pulling at her trousers, she’s persistently trying to communicate that she wants to go somewhere, she wants to do something and she’s being told she can’t – This is atrocious behaviour. It is institutionalised in its worst form.”

The disturbing footage also reveals how 75-year-old Mary Maloney is force-fed by a member of staff. Her knee pins Mary’s arm to the chair while she pours the drink down her throat.

She then pulls her arm behind the chair and covers her eyes as she continues to force it down her.

Mary, who has spent her whole life in care, spends 11 hours in the one spot with staff leaving her in a chair infront of the TV.

When she tries to approach one of the workers, they kick her to the ground leaving her while another slaps her.

Prof Barr said: “The idea that you would restrain someone and physically try to overpower someone in order to get them to drink you really can’t defend that on occasion

“The real striking part of that is the physical presence of the member of staff, the use of restraint.

“At one stage the member of staff puts her hands over somebody’s – puts her hands over the individual’s face and that to me is abuse of practice there’s no question about that.

“It seems that absolute focus is on control and compliance, and not only does the person have to sit on the chair, but they have to sit on the chair in the way that the member of staff wants them to do it – which is turn around, face the wall, head down.”

The documentary focuses on one bungalow in Aras Attracta which homes seven residents and has a staff number of 5-6 every day.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD (Image: Gareth Chaney Collins)

In some of the most shocking scenes, Mary Garvin, 65, who cannot speak, is heard crying out for help from workers but is ignored.

She is shouted at and told to shut up and threatened to be put in the cold and dark porch if she continues to cry.

One worker also slaps her across the face with post while another throws a blanket over her head.

Prof Barr said this “is atrocious behaviour”.

He added: “It is institutionalised in its worst form.”

The programme was filmed in the past two months with the undercover worker pulled out and reports sent to the Gardai, the Health Service Executive and the Health Information and Quality Authority.

Nine members have since been suspended from the residential home.

The HSE has launched two separate investigations, both led by independent experts.

Lorraine Dempsey, Special Needs Parents Association said this was to lift the lid on another secret shame of Ireland’s.

She said: “People with disabilities in these institutional settings have been hidden. For decades, this is one of these historic legacy’s which is a scandal that Ireland yet again is choosing to just keep down.”

Earlier this year HIQA had carried out unannounced inspections at the Swinford facility after the Coroner for South Mayo, John O’Dwyer, expressed concerns about the circumstances leading to the death of long-term resident.

HIQA’s report found that residents were left without food for up to 15 hours at night.

The RTE investigation was instigated after a whistleblower provided key information following the death of Mr Loughney.

- The RTÉ Investigations Unit report “Inside Bungalow 3” will feature on tonight’s Prime Time programme at 9.35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ News Now. The programme will also be available live and on demand worldwide on the RTÉ Player.